China Is A Threat To US Security: 'That's A Fact'

China has emerged as a threat to national security and the U.S. economy, according to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

In her speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Raimondo said that China, once considered a possible economic partner and political ally, has been pursuing an assertive military behavior that undermines bilateral relations with the U.S.

"Over the past decade, China's leaders have made clear that they do not plan to pursue political and economic reform and are instead pursuing an alternative vision of their country's future," Raimondo was quoted as saying by CNBC.

Raimondo said during the speech that China is deploying its military in ways that hamper global trade and undermine the security of U.S. allies.

"China today poses a set of growing challenges to our national security," the politician said. "That is a fact. It's deploying its military in ways that undermine the security of our allies and our partners and the free flow of global trade."

Raimondo said Chinese leaders prioritized "increasing the role of the state society and economy," "constraining the free flow of capital" and "decoupling in technology areas of the future" over reforms.

The commerce chief was also disturbed by China's move to "accelerate efforts to fuse" economic and technology policies with their military objectives.

She noted that China's "commitment to using nonmarket trade and investment practices" has pushed the U.S. and its allies to defend their business interests and workers.

Raimondo went on to accuse China of stacking its representatives on international technology standard-setting organizations to expand its influence. She claimed that this move "puts at risk many of our fundamental values, such as the free flow of information and data privacy."

But despite the tensions between the two countries, Raimondo acknowledged that the U.S. benefits from the over $750 billion annual trade market with China. According to the commerce secretary, exports contribute to more than 750,000 jobs at home.

Raimondo insisted that the U.S. should continue to promote trade and investment with China while also protecting American companies from unfair economic practices.

Raimondo's speech highlighted her department's role in overseeing the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, a law designed to counter China in semiconductor manufacturing and other scientific research.

The bipartisan law, which was signed by President Joe Biden in July, provides $280 billion to fund domestic scientific research and revitalize the semiconductor industry in the country, Axios reported.

According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, the U.S. only makes up 12% of global semiconductor manufacturing capacity. The majority is concentrated in East Asia, particularly Taiwan, China and South Korea.